Musical instrument



R. B. KENT.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION HLED FEB. 26, 19:9.

Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. B. KENT.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT- APPLICATION FILED ran. 26, 1319.

1,322,795. Patzhted Nov. 25, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2- R. B. KENT.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION. FILLD FEB. 2a 1919.

' Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- LLIQHJMJIILIIIIIIIIIIIIII 8 HH'l'llllllllkl Fly. 10.

' R. B. KENT.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26. I919.

1,322,795. Patent ed Nov. 25, 1919. I 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

' l l l i R. B. KENT.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26. ms.

1 322,7 95. Patented Nov. 25, 1919 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- [Mam r012 REESE B. KENT, F WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

. Application filed February 26, 1919. Serial No. 279,249.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Rnnsn B. KENT, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of WVheeli-ng, county of Ohio, and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates broadly to playing mechanism for stringed instruments, and more particularly to a mechanical player for stringed instruments, associated with a player piano and actuated in conjunction with the latter by a traveling perforated music-sheet.

. The primary object of the invention is to provide in association with a player piano a mechanism whereby the strings of a stringed instrument, as a violin, are sounded and fingered in synchronism with the playing of the player piano during the same time that such piano is played as ordinarily, such mechanism being operated under the control of the same music-sheet by which the piano is played. In other words, it is aimed to so combine or connect a player piano and a violin-playing mechanism that both are adapted to be played in synchronism by. a single specially cut notesheet.

With these and other objects in View, the invention resides in the features which will hereinafter be described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a cabinetcontained violin and the playing mechanism associated therewith;

Fi 2 is an enlar ed rear elevation of themotor and shiftable friction-drive for the sounding or bowing mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the diskdepressing mechanism and of the means for controlling the pressure applied by thedisks;

Fig. 4: is a top plan View of the diskdriving and pressure-control mechanisms;

Fig. 5 isa cross-sectional view of the shutters, illustrating the shutter controlling means;

fragmentary portion of said clavier bar, illustrating the application of said bar;

Fig. 9 is a view of an action lifter and the lower flange rail of a piano, showing the electrical contacts carried by said part-s;

Fig. 10 is a front elevation of a fragmentary portion of the keyboard of a piano showing the push-buttoncontacts whereby manual 7 control of various parts of the stringed-instrument playing mechanism is afforded;

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical system controlling the sounding mechanisms Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic view illustrative of the electric circuits controlling the fingering devices.

Fig. 13 is a vertical section of a conventional form of player piano, partially illustrating the application of the invention thereto, portions of the player mechanism being omitted; and V Fig. la is a diagrammatic top plan view of the violin bowing and picking mechanisms.

Referring to said drawings, in which like designating characters distinguish like parts throughout the several views 1 indicates a cabinet or casing within which is contained a violin 2 or other similar stringed instrument. Located in proper positions over the neck 2* of the. violin is a plurality of string-fingering devices having associated therewith electro-magnet-s 86 whereby they are actuated. Said magnetactuated fingering devices are of a type wellknown in the art and will consequently not be described herein.- v

Located within an end of the casing 1 adjacent to the butt-end of the violin is a transverse line shaft 3 carrying bevel-gears 4-, said shaft being journaled in suitable bearings, as 5, and carrying at one end thereof a trans mission disk 6. A relatively smaller'disk 7 located at right angles to said disk 6 is disposed with a point on its periphery in engagement with the outer fiat face of the lastmentioned disk, so thatthe latter will be fricionally driven through rotation of said disk 7. Said disk 7 is'carried by a sleeve 8 which is splined upon and longitudinally shiftable along a drive-shaft 9 which is coupled to the shaft of a small electric motor 10.

The bevel gears 4, of which there are four, one for each string 11 of the violin,

are respectively in mesh with similar gears.

said butt-end of the violin. Said shafts 13 are journaled adjacent to their outer ends in suitable bearings, as. 14, and each thereof has fixed upon its opposite, or free, end a bowing-disk 15 adapted to be depressed during rotation thereof into engagement with an underlying string 11 of the violin for producing a sound in imitation of that produced by drawing an ordinar violin-bow across such string. Said bowing-disks are continuously driven from the motor 10 through the intermediate mechanism described, but the speed at which they are driven may be varied by shifting the sleevecarried disk 7 along the drive-shaft 9, it being obvious that the speed communicated to the transmission disk 6 will be increased as the disk 7 approaches its center, and vice versa. For efi'ecting shifting movement of said disk 7 along said shaft 9 I-' employ a shifting lever 16 having a shifter yoke 16 at one endin operative relation to the sleeve 8 by which said disk is carried. Said lever is pivoted intermediate its ends upon a suit able support, as shown at 17 in Fig. 2, and is normally maintained by suitably arranged means as the rectractile coil springs 18, in an intermediate position, or in a position wherein the disk 7 is held in engagement with the face of disk 6 at an approximately midway point between the center and periphery of th latter. The saidv lever has a portion thereof disposed intermediate two opposed electro-magnets 19 and 20 in such position that it constitutes an armature adapted to be attracted by either magnet according as one or the other of the latter is energized. Said magnets are located in separate electric circuits, or in separate branches of a single electric circuit, and are energized in a manner which will hereinafter be described.

The shafts 13 which carry the bowingdisks 15 are rendered flexible by forming each thereof of two alined shaft sections connected by a slightly resilient flexible coupling, as a coil spring 21 of short length. Said disks are normally supported by said shafts 13 in elevated positions over the strings 11 of the violin, and they are individually depressible into operative relation to said strings through pressure applied to the front ends or sections of said shafts. The means employed for depressing said disks to operative positions includes electrically actuated levers 22, one for each of said disks. Each of said levers is pivoted intermediate its ends upon a suitable support, as a standard 23. Said lever, which is normally held in a substantially horizontal position, as by means of a suitably located spring 85, has adjustably mounted on its front end a vertically disposed stem 24" carried by a collar-like bearing 24 in which the forward section of the underlying shaft 13 is journaled. The rear end of said lever is of angular form, having a depending vertically dis sed member 22 provided with a forward y directed terminal portion or lip 22 which constitutes an armature for an electro-Inagnet 25 that is suitably supported thereover, as shown in Fig. 3. When one of the magnets 25 is energized in a manner which will hereinafter be explained, the armature 22 associated therewith is attracted thereby, resulting in the swinging of the lever 22 upon its pivot to a position wherein the thereby-controlled bowing-disk 15 is depressed into engagement with the underlying string.

Each of the four magnets25 is located in a normall open electric circuit which is closed by ringing a movable contact member 26 into engagement with a stationary contact member 27. Said contact members ber 27 is mounted in a suitable position upon the lower flange rail 28 of the piano, and the movable contact member 26 is carried b the substantially-upright vertically-mova le abstract 29 which is seated upon the rear end of the usual piano key 87' and which has pivotal connection with said lower flange-rail. Obviously, when the said abstract 29 is elevated in the usual manner, the contact member 26 engages contact member 27. This effects the closing of an electric circuit in which said contact member and one of the electromagnets 25 are located and reaults in such magnet being energized.

Other normally-open'electric circuits including the magnets. 86 which control the fingering mechanisms for the violin are employed, one such circuit or a branch circuit being provided for each of said magnets. However, since about forty-four fingering magnets are employed and an equal number of such electric circuits is required, all of which are substantially identical, but two thereof are illustrated in-the diagram shown in Fig. 12 of the drawings. Each circuit includes contacts 26' and 27, similar to the contacts 26 and 27 hereinbefore mentioned. The contacts 26 are carried by abstracts 29,

and the contacts 27 are carried by the lower flange-rail 28 in appropriate positions.

It may here be explained that any four of the piano keys and the actions directly associated therewith may be selected as those with which the said contact members 26 and 27 are used, and similarly any fortyfour other keys and actions may be selected as those with which contacts 26 and 27 are used, such, however, being preferably keys located at the opposite ends of the keyboard and which may be most readily dispensed with in ordinary piano playing. As hereinbefore indicated, these keys will be ac tuated in the manner common to actuation of the keys of a player piano, including perforations, in the music-sheet used. The perforations used for actuating the four selected keys must, however, be specially cut to correspond with the notes which it is desired shall be produced by the violin-that is, the perforations must be so disposed on the, sheet that thesaid four piano keys and their actions shall be actuated for closing the four electric circuits through the mag nets 25 inthe order and succession required to produce the desired'notes resulting from movement of the bowing-disks into operative engagement with the violin strings. And the perforations for actuating the forty four, or other number of, fingering magnets selected must obviously be specially cut to produce properly timed fingering action of said magnets.

Located adjacent to the rear ends of the levers 22 is mechanism whereby the pressure applied through said levers to the shafts 13 carrying the bowing-disks 15, and, consequently, whereby the pressure of said disksv upon the violin strings, may be controlled or varied to the extent that the resultant sound may be rendered loud or soft. Said mechanism, which is under the manual control of the operator seated at the piano, includes a rock-shaft 30 journaled on suitable supports, as 31, and extending in a direction transverse to said lever. Fixed on said shaft 30 are four cams 32, one for each of said levers 22, said cams being designed to cooperate with the upper inclined surfaces of rearward extensions 22 carried by the upright members 22 of said levers to limit the extent of movement of the latter. Also fixed on said shaft 30 at a suit able point is oneendof an arm 33 which constitutes an armature for each of two oppositely disposed electro-magnets 3-1 and 35. Retractile coil springs 36 attached to the free end of'said arm33 serve to normally hold the latter in a position midway between said magnets3 l and 35, in which position the bowing-disk-carrying levers are permitted to swing to the extent that their disks 15' exert a medium, or normal, soundingpressure on'the violin strings 11. When themagnet 34'is energized, said'arm 33 is thereby attracted and moved to an upwardly inclined position, effecting shifting of the cams 32 to ositions permitting a maximum stroke of t e levers 22 when the latter are actuated, and, consequently, producing a maximum of pressure of the actuated disk or disxs upon the strings, resulting in the production of loud tones. A rererse movement of the arm 33, effected by energizing magnet 35, acts to swing the came 32 to positions wherein they serve to limit the stroke of the levers 22 to the extent that the bowing-disks, when actuated, will very lightly engage the underlying strings and produce a soft tone.

Said magnets 3a and 35 are located in separate manually closable electric circuits so as to be under the control of the operator. In view of the fact that it is desirable to accelerate the rate of speed at which a bowing disk is driven when the latter is caused to exert upon a string its maximum pressure for producing a loud tone, and to decrease the speed of such disk when a light pressure is exerted by the latter for producing a soft tone, the speed-control magnets 19 and 20 are respectively wired in series, or included in the same circuits, with said pressurecontrol magnets 3a and 35. Referring specifically to Fig. 11, magnets 19 and 34 are included in one side of a normally open electric circuit which comprises a battery 36 or other source of electrical energy, connected wires or conductors 37 and 38 leading from one pole of said battery to a. contact-piece composing a part of a manually closable switch 39 preferably of the push-button type, the other member of which is eonnected by a conductor 40 to said magnet 19 which is in turn connected by a wire 11 to said magnet 34 whence connected wires -12 and 43 lead to the opposite pole of said battery. In like manner magnets 20 and 35 are included in one side of a normally open electric circuit consisting of said battery '36, connected conductors 37 and 4A, the contactpieces of a manually closable switch 45, conductor as, magnet 20, conductor 47, magnet 35 and connected conductors as and 43. From the foregoing it will be obvious that when the switch 39 is closed, magnets 19 and 34 are simultaneously energized, resulting in increasing above the normal rate the speed of the bowing-disks 15 and, at the same time, in permitting such disk-carrying levers 22 as are actuated during the interval in which said switch is closed to depress their disks to the greatest limit of which they are capable; also, that when the switcn 1-5 is closed, magnets 20 and are simultaneously energized, resulting in decreasing below the normal rate the speed of the bowing disks and, at the same time, limiting the throw or stroke of such disk-carrying levers as are actuated during the interval in which said switch remains closed to the extent that their disks but lightly engage underlying strings of the violin.

Also illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 11 are the four lever-actuating magnets 25, the four sets of closable contacts 26 and 27 and the four normally open electric circuits in which said magnets and sets of contacts are located, each of said circuits including the battery 36, connected wires or conductors 37, 49 and 50 leading from said battery to stationary contact 27, a wire 51 leading from the movable contact 26 to one of the shiftable members of a four-point switch 52, a wire 53 leading from a contact 54 with which said member is normally engaged to the magnet 25, and connected conductors 55 and 43 leading from said magnet to said batter S aid four-point switch 52 is normally held, as by a retractile spring 56, in a position inwhich its four members engage the four contacts 54, rendering said circuits closable through movement of the contacts 26 into engagement with their companion contacts 27, as hereinbefore described. Said switch 52 is, however, arranged so as to be shiftable from its said normal position by the attraction of an electro-magnet 57, when the latter is energized, exerted upon an armature, as 58, attached to said switch. Said magnet 57 is located in a normally open electric circuit which includes a manually closabl switch 59 located in a position convenient to the operator seated at the piano. Said electric circuit includes the battery 36, connected conductors 37 and 60 leading from said battery to one of the contact members of said switch 59, a conductor 61 leading from the other contact member of saidswitch 59 to said magnet 57, and connected conductors 62 and 43 leading from said magnet to the battery. When energized by the closing of the switch 59, the magnet 57 effects the shifting of the four-point switch 52 from its said normal position to a position wherein its members are out of engagement with the contacts 54, rendering the circuits through magnets 25 unclosable, and wherein said members engage contacts 63. Each of the said contacts 63 is connected by a conductor 64 to an electro-magnet 65 located in a normally open electric circuit which embraces the battery 36, connected conductors 37, 49 and 50, contacts 26 and 27, wire 51, a member of said four-point switch 52, the contact 63 then engaged by said memher, one of the conductors 64, a magnet 65, and connected conductors 66 and 43 leading from said magnet 63 to said battery. The closing of a circuit through any one of said magnets 65, efiected automatically by the elevation of the movable contact 26 into engagement with contact 27 in the manner hereinbefore described during the time that the circuit through switch-shifting magnet 57 is maintained closed, results in actuation of a picker-device designed to pick an underlying string of the violin, which device will now be described.

Each picker-device, of which there are four, one for each violin 11, located side by side in a position in front of the violin bowing disks described, comprises a horizontal rod 67 which is stationarily mounted on a suitable support 68 and which extends transversely of the violin to a point in overhanging relation to a string 11. A turnbuckle 69 or other appropriate means is provided whereby the reach of said rod may be adjusted. Pivotally mounted intermediate its ends upon the front end of said rod 67 is a short lever 70 having its upper end pivetally connected to the front end of a longitudinally movable rod 71 which is suitably supported above said rod 67 and which has an angularly disposed rear end 71 constituting an armature for an electro-magnet 65. Said rod 71 is normally held in the retracted position shown in Fig. 6 by means of a suitably arranged spring, as 72, and said magnet 65 and the armature 71 are so disposed relatively that when said magnet is energized, attracting said armature, said rod 71 is advanced ongitudinally for actuating the lever 7 O to cause a picker-finger 73 pivoted or hinged to the lower, or free, end of said lever to swing upward past the violin string with which it is associated and, in passing said string, to produce a plucking action on the latter, as with a plectrum. As is ob vious, the extent of retraction of the rod 71 is limited by adjustment of a set-screw 94 with respect to. the armature 71".

The casing 1 is provided with suitable shutters whereby the volume of sound permitted to escape from the interior thereof may in large measure be controlled. Such shutters may be located in any appropriate position, as in opposite ends of the casing, and are designed to be shifted to and from closing relation to an opening or openings in said casin by any appropriate means. As shown or illustrative purposes in Fig. 5, a plurality of shutters 74 are disposed within or adjacent to an opening or passage 75 in the end of the casing. Inwardly directed arms 76 carried by said shutters are connected to a vertically movable rod 77 .which is normally held by a spring 78 in an elevated position in which it maintains said shutters in inclined passage-opening position, permitting sound emitted by the instrument to escape in large volume through the opening 75. Said rod 77 carries an arm 79 which constitutes an armature for an electno-magnet 80 located in a normally-open manually-closable electric circuit. When said magnet is energized by the closing of said circuit, the rod 77 is drawn downward against the tension of spring 78, thus shifting said shutters 74C to vertical passage-closing position, so that a relatively small volume of sound, or mutiied sound, is permitted to escape. Said electric circuit comprises the battery 36, connected conductors 37 and 81 leading from said battery to one of the contact-members of a push-button switch 82, a conductor 83 leadupon a suitable portion of the front part of the piano in a position within convenient reach of the operator of the player piano with which my invention is assoclated, as

' shown in Fig. 10.

As hereinbefore indicated, the violin bowing and fingering mechanisms described are designed to be actuated together with the player piano and by' means of the same traveling perforated music sheet which operates the player piano. Those keys of the piano which are associated with the violin bowing and fingering mechanisms are silenced by a clavier-bar 88 which is mounted upon the top of the usual hammer-butt spring-rail 89 of the piano, said clavier-barbeing shiftable from an out-ofthe-way position on said spring-rail, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 7 to an advanced position, shown in full lines in said figure, wherein its front edge, which is feltcovered, as shown at 90, is adapted to be engaged by the shank91 of the usual piano hammer 92 and thus to arrest such hammer at an intermediate point in its stroke for preventing the hammer from striking the piano wire 93 with which it normally cooperates. As isobvious, any appropriate means may be employedffor shifting said clavier-bar to and from its normal retracted position.

Said clavier-bar is designed to arrest only those hammers of the piano which are associated with the bowing and fingering mechanisms of the violin, or other stringed instrument, which hammers are preferably. those composing parts of keyactions, located at opposite ends of the piano key-board, which may be most readily dispensed with in ordinarypiano playing, the bar being shaped to present an obstruction to full or complete movement of those key-actions which areso utilized, as shown in Fig. 7, and topermit intermediate nonutilized key-actions to be actuated in the usual manner Without interference. When it is desired'to manually play the piano, or

When it is desired to operate the piano player alone in the usual manner, utilizing the ordinary 88-note player roll or sheet,

the battery 36 is disconnected to render the violin bowing and fingering mechanisms inoperative, and the clavier-bar 88 is shifted to its normal position to permit of unobstructed operation of the piano hammers 92.

What is claimed is 1. The combination with a player piano having its key-actions adapted to be actuated by a traveling perforated music sheet, of me ns for silencing some of said keyactions, a violin or other similar stringed instrument, a bowing device disposed adjacent to each of the strings of said instru ment and including an electro-magnet, a plurality of fingering devices associated with said strings, each fingering device including an electro-magnet, a plurality of electric circuits including the v rious electro-magnets mentioned, and circuit opening and closing devices comprising electrical contacts carried by relatively movable parts of silenced key-actions of the piano, such devices being actuated by operative movement of one of said parts occasioned through the provision of perforations in the music sheet.

2. The combination with a player piano having its key-actions adapted to be actu ated by a traveling perforated music-sheet, of means for silencing some of said keyactions, a violin or other similar stringed instrument, a bowing device disposed adj acent to each of the strings of said instrument and including an electro-magnet, a plurality of fingering devices associated with said strings, eachfingering device including an electro-magnet, a plurality of electric circuits including the various electro-magnets mentioned, and circuit opening and closing devices comprising electrical contacts carried by relatively movable parts of selected silenced music-sheet-controlled key-actions of the piano.

3. The combination with a player piano adapted to be actuated by a traveling perforated music-sheet, of a violin or other similar stringed instrument, a bowing device disposed adjacent to each of the strings of said instrument and including an electromagnet, a plurality of fingering devices associated with said strings, each fingering device including an electro-magnet, a plurality of normally-open electric circuits including said electro-magnets, electrical contacts located in said circuits adapted to effect closing of the latter, said contacts being carried by relatively movable parts of selected music-sheet-operated key-actions of the piano, and means for rendering said selected key-actions inoperative for piano playing while remaining key-actions remain operative for such playing.

4:, The combinat on with a player Plano "the key-actions of which'are adapted 'to 'be actuated under the control of a traveling perforated music-sheet, of a violirror other similar stringed instrument, a bowing device disposed adjacentto each string of said instrument, means for actuating saidbowing devices to move into operative engagement with said strings, said actuating means including an electro-magnet, a normally open electric circuit in which the last-mentioned magnet is located, electrical contact members in'each of said electrical circuits, said contacts being carried by relatively movable elements of selected key-actions of the piano and being adapted to be carried into engagement forclosing said circuits by operative movements of said selected key-actions,which movements are made responsive to perforations in said music-sheet, and means for arresting said selected key-actions in their movements for rendering them inoperative for piano sounding, said means permitting the remainder of said key-actions to function for piano sounding responsive to other perforations in said music-sheet.

5. The combination with a player piano having its key-actions responsive to perforations in a traveling perforated music-sheet, of means for silencing some of said keyactions Without wholly restraining responsive movement of the latter, an electrical contact member carried by a movable art of each of said silenced key-actions, a xed electrical contact member adapted to be engaged by the first mentioned contactmember, an electric circuit in which said contact members are located and adapted to be closed by interengagement of said members, a violin, a bowing device disposed adjacent to each of the strings of said violin and including an electro-magnet located in one of said electric circuits and energizable through closing of the latter for actuating a part of said bowing device to move into sounding relation to the adjacent string, and fingering devices associated with said strings, each fingering device including an electro-magnet located in one of said electric circuits and energizable through closing of the latter for actuating a part of the related fingering device to assume fingering relation to the adiacent string.

6. The combination with a player piano having its key-actions adapted to be operated underthe control of a traveling perforated music sheet, of means for silencing some ofsaid key-actions, a stringed instrument associated with said piano, bowing and fingering devices for the strings of said instrument, an electro-magnet forcoiitrolling each of said devices, electric circuits in which said magnets are included, and electrical contacts located in each of said circuits-and carried by relatively movable parts of thesilenced key-actions, whereby, upon actuation "o f'the latter,'said circuits are closed forwhe 'zing'sa'id'magnets.

The combination with aflaye'r piano having its key=actions 'adap'te "tobe open ated underthe control of a travelingpeflo: rated music sheet, of means for silencing some of said key actions, a stringed ment associated with said piano, rotating bowing-devices associated with'the strings of said instrument, means for depressin bowing-devices into "engagement Stud strings, each individual'd'epressing'Ineans'meluding anelectro-magnet, a 'nonnalty-"open electric circuit in which said 'magntisineluded, and electrical contacts carriefl by relatively movable 'parts'ofthe silenced keyactions and adapted to be interengagefl by aetuationwithelatten said contacts fanning th e'te'rminalsof said circuit.

8. The combination with a: layer piano having its key-actions adap tobe operated under'the control of a trajveling'pei lorated m'usi'c sheet, of means for-silencing some of said key-actions, a stri'ngedfinstrument associated 'with'said" iano, aplurality' of bowing devices, each i hiding magnet, adapted to "be depressed into ongagement with a string o'f saiti instrument for bowing such string, anlecti'ib circuit having branches, ach branch 'includingone only of said bowi11g device magnets, 'and electrical contacts 'formingthe terminals of each o'f said branc'h circuits, sai'd'colitacts'boing carried by relatively movable arts of certain of the silenced key-actions an "a t ed to be interengaged by actuation 'of e latter. p I

9. The combination "with a player piano having its key-actions "ail ted to be open ated u'nderthe control of a traveling pa io-"'10s 7 rated music sheet, of means for silencing some of said keyactions, a stringed instrument associated with said piano, a plurality of bowing'devices, each including an electroma gn'et, adapted tobe' depressed intoen ment with a string ofsaid instrument or sounding such string, an electric circuit'having branches, each branch 'incluliin one only of s'aid bowing device magnet e ectlfical contacts formingthe terminals of 'eachbf said branch circuits, 'said contacts being ried by relatively movatiiaparts 6f cert f of the silenced key-actions and adapted *to'be interengaged by actuation'of'the latter, and, means for controllin thee'xtentof depressive sionof said bowing evices, said means including an electro-magn'et and a inammlly closable electric circuit'inwhich saifi'inllgllet is located. u

10. The combination with'a player plane 126 having its key-actions adapted tobebperat'ed under the control of a travelingpefin rated 'musi'c shee't, of means for silencing some of said key-a'ctions,'a stringed instrument associatedwlthsaiil'piano, aplurality we of bowing devices located adjacent to the strings of said instrument, each of said bowing devices including a rotary element adapted to be depressed into engagement with a string of said instrument for sounding such string, and each of said bowing devices also including an electro-magnet, means for rotating said rotary elements, an electric circuit having branches, each branch including one only of said bowing-device magnets, ant

electrical contacts forming the terminals of said branch circuits, said contacts being can ried by relatively movable parts of certain contacts being adapted to be interengaged by actuation of the last-mentioned key-actions for closing said branch circuits to energize the magnets therein.

11. The combination with a player piano having its key-actions adapted to be operated under the control of a traveling perforated music-sheet, of means for silencing some of said key-actions, a stringed instrument associated with said piano, a plurality of bowing devices located adjacent to the strings of said instrument, each of said bow- 111g devices including a rotary element adapted to be depressed into engagement with a string of said instrument for sounding such string, and each of said bowing devices also including an electro-magnet, means for rotatingsaid rotary elements, an electric circuit having branches, each branch including one only of said bowing-device magnets, and electrical contacts forming the terminals of said branch circuits, said contacts being car-- ried by relatively movable parts or" certain of the silenced'key-actions and adapted to be interengaged by actuation of the latter, fingering devices associated with said strings, each fingering device being located in a nor mally open branch electriccircuit closable through actuation of another of said silenced key-actions and being actuated through cl osing of such branch circuit. 7

12. The combination with a player piano having its key-actions adapted to be operated under the control of a traveling perforated music-sheet, of means for silencing some of said key-actions, a stringed instrument associated with said piano, a plurality of bowing devices located adjacent to the strings of .said instrument, each of said bowing de vices including a rotary element adapted. to

be depressed'into engagement with a string of said instrument for sounding such string,

and each of said bowing devices also including an electro-magnet, means for rotating said rotary elements, an electric circuit having branches, each branch including one only of said bowing-device magnets, and electrical contacts forming the terminals of said branch circuits, said contacts being carried by relatively movable parts of certain of the silenced key-actions and adapted to be interengaged by actuation of the latter, fingering devices associated with said strings, each fingering device being located in a normally open branch electric circuit closable through actuation of another of said silenced key-actions and being actuated through closing of such branch circuit, and manually controlled means for adjusting the extent of depression of the rotary elements of the bowing devices.

13. T he combination with a player piano having its key-actions adapted to be operated under the control of a traveling perforated music-sheet, of means for silencing some of said key-actions, a stringed instrument associated with said piano, a plurality of bowing devices located adjacent to the strings of said instrument, each of said howing devices including a rotary element adapted to be depressed into engagement with a string of said instrument for sounding such string, and each of said bowing devices also including an electro-magnet, means for rotating said rotary elements, an electric circuit having branches, each branch including one only of saidbowing-device magnets, and electrical contacts forming the terminals of said branch circuits, said contacts being carried by relatively movable parts of cer sin of the silenced key-actions and adapted to be interengaged by actuation of the latter, fingering devices associated with said strings, each fingering device being located in a normally open branch electric circuit closable through actuation of another of said silenced key-actions and being actuated through closing of such branch circuit, and electrically actuated means for increasing and decreasing the extent of de pression or the rotary elements of the bowing devices, said means including manuallyclosable electric circuits.

14. The combination with a player piano having its key-actions adapted to be operated under the control of a. traveling perforated music-sheet, of means for silencing some of said key-actions, a stringed instru ment associated with said piano, a plurality of bowing devices located adjacent to the strings of said instrument, each of said howing devices including a rotary element adapted to be depressed into engagement with a string of said instrument for sounding such string, and each of said bowing devices also including an electromagnet, means for rotating said rotary elements, an

llO

electric circuit having branches, each branch including one only of said bowing-device magnets, and electrical contacts forming the terminals of said branch circuits, said contacts being carried by relatively movable parts of certain of the silenced key-actions and adapted to be inter-engaged by actuation of the latter, fingering devices associated with said strings, each fingering device being located in a normally open branch elec-- tric circuit closable through actuation of another of said silenced key-actions and being actuated through .closing of such branch circuit, means for limiting the extent of depression of the rotary elements of said bowing devices, and means for shifting the position of said limiting means.

15. The combination with a player piano having its key-actions adapted to be oper ated under the control of a traveling perforated music-sheet, of means for silencing some of said key-actions, a stringed instrumagnets, and electrical contacts forming the terminals of said branch circuits, said contacts being carried by relatively movable parts of certain of the silenced key-actions and adapted to be interengaged by actuation of the latter, fingering devices associated with said strings, each fingering device being located in a normally open branch electric circuit closable through actuation of another of said silenced key-actions and being actuated through closing of such branch circuit, means normally limiting the extent of depression of the rotary elements of said bowing devices for causing said elements to exert a medium pressure on the strings, and means for shifting the position of said limiting means.

16. The combination with a player piano having its key-actions adapted to be operated under the control of a traveling perforated music-sheet, of means for silencing some of said key-actions, a stringed instrument associated with said piano, a plurality of bowing devices located adjacent to the strings of said instrument, each of said bowing devices includin a rotary element adapted to be depresse into engagement with a string of said instrument for sounding such string, and each of said bowing devices also including an electrormagnet, means for rotating said rotary elements, an electric circuit having branches,

, ments each branch including one only of said'bowing-device magnets, and electrical contacts forming the terminals of said branch circuits, said contacts being carried by relatively movable parts of certain of the silenced key-actions and adapted to be interengaged by actuation of the latter, fingeri devices associated with said strings, eac fingering device being located in a normall open branch electric circuit closable throng 1 actuation of another of said silenced keyactions and being actuated through closing of such branch circuit, interengaging elenormally limiting the pressure exerted upon the strings of the instrument by the rotary elements of the bowin devices, means for shifting one of sai elements to permit the pressure exerted by said elements to be increased above normal, and means for shifting said one element'to reduce the pressure exertable by said elements below normal.

17. The combination with a player piano having its key-actions adapted to be operated under the control of a traveling perforated music-sheet, of means for silencing some of said key-actions, a stringed instrument associated with said piano, a plurality of bowing devices located adjacent to the strings of said instrument, each of said howing devices including a rotary element adapted to be depressed into engagement with a string of said instrument for sounding such string, and each of said bowing devices also includin an electro-magnet, means for rotating said rotary elements, an electric circuit having branches, each branch including one only of said bowing-device magnets, and electrical contacts forming the terminals of said branch circuits, said contacts being carried by relatively movable parts of certain of the silenced key-actions and adapted to be interengaged by actuation of the latter, fingering devices associated with said strings, each fingering device being located in a normally open branchelectric circuit closable through actuation of another of said silenced key-actions and being actuated through closing of such branch circuit, means normally limiting the extent of depression of the rotary elements of said bowing devices for causing said elements to exert a medium pressure on the strings of the instrument, means for shifting said limiting means in one direction to permit a greater depression of said elements, and means for shifting said limiting means in another direction to abnormally limit the depressing movement of said elements.

18. The combination with a player pianq having its key-actions adapted to be oper ated under the control of a traveling perforated music-sheet, of means for silencing some of-said key-actions, a stringed instrument associated with saidpiano, a plurality 18o of bowing devices located adjacent to the string of said instrument, each of said bowvices also including an electro-magnet,.

means for rotating said rotary elements, an electric circuit having branches, each branch including one only of said bowingdevice magnets, and electrical contacts f0rming the terminals of said branch circuits, said contacts being carried by relatively movable part-s of certain of the silenced key-actions and adapted to be interengaged by actuation of the latter, fingering devices associated with said strings, each fingering device being located in a normally open branch electric circuit closable through actuation of another of said silenced key-actions and being actuated through closing of uch branch circuit, means normally limiting the extent of depression of the rotary elements of said bowing devices for causing said elements to exert a medium pressure on the strings of the instrument, means for shifting said limiting means in one direction to permit a greater depression of said elements, means for shifting said limiting means in another direction to abnormally limit the depressing movement of said elements, and means actuated simultaneously with increased and reduced depression of said elements for increasing and reducing, respectively, thespeed of rotation of said elements.

19.- The combination with a player piano having its key-actions adapted to be operated under the control of a traveling peri'orated music-sheet, of means for silencing some of said key-actions, a stringed instrument associated with said piano, bowing devices i'or the strings of said instrument, each of said bowing devices including an electro-magnet and a rotatable element depressible into engagement with a string of said instrument through energizing of aid magnet, an electric circuit having branches, each branch having one of sald magnets located therein, said branch circuits being closable by actuation of certain of said silenced key-actions for energizing the magnets therein, and means for adjusting the pressure applied by said rotating elements upon the strings.

20. The combination with a player piano having it key-actions adapted to be operated under the control of a traveling perfor-ated music-sheet, of means for silencing some of said key-actions, a stringed 1nstrument associated with said piano, bowing devices for the strings of said instrument, each of said bowing devices including an electro-magnet and a rotatable element depressible into engagement with a string of said instrument through energizing of said magnet, an electric circuit having branches, each branch having one of said magnets located therein, said branch circuits being closable by actuation oi certain 01" said silenced key-actions for energizing the magnets therein, means norm-ally limiting the extent of depression of said rotating ele ments to cause the latter to engage the strings with a medium pressure, and means for shifting said means to permit a greater pressure to be exerted by said elements.

21. The combination with a player piano having its key-actions adapted to be operated under the control of a traveling perforated music-sheet, of means for silencing some of said key-actions, a stringed instrument associated with said piano, bowing devices for the strings of said instrumen each of said bowing devices including an electro-magnet and a rotatable element depressible into engagement with a string of said instrument through energizing of said magnet, an electric circuit having branches, each branch having one of said magnets located therein, said branch circuits being closable by actuation 01" certain of said silenced key-actions for energizing the mag-.

nets therein, means normally limiting the extent oi depression of said rotating ele ments to cause the latter to engage the strings with a medium pressure, means for shifting said means to further restrict depression of said elements.

22. The combination with'a player piano having its key -actions adapted to be operated under the control of a traveling per 'forated music-sheet, of means for silencing some of said key-actions, a stringed instrument associated with said piano, bowing devices for the strings of said instrument, each of said bowing devices including an electro-magnet and a rotatable element depressible into engagement with a string of said instrument through energizing of said ma net, an electric circuit having branches, each branch having one of said magnets located. therein, said branch circuits being closable by actuation of certain of said silenced key-actions for energizing the magnets therein, means normally limiting the extent of depression of said rotating elements to cause the latter to engage the strings with a medium pressure, means for shifting said means to permit a greater pressure to be exerted by said elements, and means for reducing the permitted extent of depression of said elements.

23. The combination with a player piano having its key-actions adapted to be operated under the control of a traveling perforated music-sheet, of means for silencing some of said key-actions, a stringed instrument associated with said piano, bowing devices for the strings of said instrument,

each of said bowing devices including a rotatable element, means constantly rotating said elements, an electro-magnet for each bowing device and adapted when energized to depress one of said rotating elements into sounding relation to a string of said instrument, and an electric circuit having branches, each branch having one of said magnets located therein, said branch circuits being closable by actuation of certain of said silenced key-actions for energizing the magnets therein. 7 y

24. The combination with a player piano having its key-actions adapted to be operated under the control of a traveling pelforated music-sheet, of means for silencing some of said key-actions, a strin ed instrument associated with said piano, owing devices for. the strings of said instrument, each of said bowing devices including a rotatable element, means constantly rotati said elements, an electro-magnet for ea d bowing device and adapted when energized to depress one of said rotating elements into sounding relation to a string of said instrument, an electric circuit having branches, each branch having one of said magnets located therein, said branch circuits being closable by actuation of certain of said silenced key-actions for energizing the magnets therein, means for limiting the extent of depression of said rotating elements, said means normally permitting. a medium pressure to be exerted by said elements on the strings, energizable means for shifting said limiting means, and manuallyclosable electric circuits in which said energizable means are located.

25. The combination with a player piano having its key-actions adapted to be operated under the control of a traveling perforated music-sheet, of means for silencing some of said key-actions, a stringed instrument associated with said piano, bowing devices for the strings of said instrument, each of said bowing devices including a rotatable element, means constantly rotating said elements, an electro-magnet for each bowing device and adapted when energized to depress one of said rotating elements into sounding relation to a string of said instrument, an electric circuit having branches, each branch having one of said magnets located therein, said branch circuits being closable by actuation of certain of said silenced key-actions for energizing the magnets therein, means for limiting the extent of depression of said rotating elements, said means normally rmitting a medium pressure to be exerted y said elements on the strings, energizable-means for shifting said limiting means to further limit the extent of depression of said elements. a second energizable means for shifting said limiting means to permit increased .forated music-sheet, of means for silencing some of said key-actions, a. stringed instrument associated with said piano, bowing devices for the strings of said instrument,

each of said bowing devices including .2.

rotatable element, means constantly rotating said elements, an electro-magnet for each bowin device and adapted when energized to epress one of said rotating elements into sounding relation to a string of said instrument, an electric circuit havi branches, each branch having one of sali magnets located therein, said branch circuits bei closable by actuation of certain of said si enced key-actions for energizing the magnets therein, means for limiting the extent of depression of said rotating elements, said means normally permittin a medium pressure to be exerted by sai elements on the strings, energizable means for shifting said limiting means to further limit the extent of depression of said elements, a second energizable means for shifting said limiting means to permit in-.

creased depression of said elements, mam1- ally closable electric circuits in which the two energizable means are located, and means actuated by closing of the last-mentioned circuits for changing the speed of rotation of said elements.

27. The combination with a player piano having its key-actions adapted to be operated under the control of a traveling perforated musicsheet, of means for silencing some of said key-actions, a stringed instrument associated with said piano, bowing devices for the strings of said instrument, each of said bowing devices including a rotatable element, means constantly rotating said elements, an electro-magnet for each bowing device and adapted when energized to depress one of said rotating elements into sounding relation to a string of said instrument, an electric circuit having branches each branch having one of said magnets located therein, said branch circuits bein closable by actuation of certain of sai silenced key-actions for energizing the mag nets therein, means for limiting the extent of depression of said rotating elements, said means normally permitting a. medium pressure to be exerted by said elements on the strings, energizable means for shiftingsaid limiting means to further limit the extent of depression of said elements, a second energizable means for shifting said limiting means to permit increased depression of said elements, a manually closable electric circuit for each of said ener gizable means, means located in the circuit which includes the first mentioned energiz able shifting means and actuated by closing of said circuit whereby the rotating speed of said elements is decreased, and means in the circuit which includes said second energizable shifting means and actuated by closing of said circuit whereby the rotating speed of said elements is increased.

28. The combination with a player piano havin its key-actions adapted to be operated under the control of a traveling perforated music-sheet, of means for silencing some of said key-actions, a stringed instrument associated with said piano, bowing devices for the strings of said instrument, each of said bowing devices including an electromagnet and a rotatable element depressible into engagement with a spring of said instrument through energizing of said magnet, an electric circuit having branches, each branch having one of said magnets located therein, said branch circuits being closable by actuation of certain oi said silenced keyactions for energizing the magnets therein, picker-devices for the strings of said instrument, each of said picker-devices including an electro-magnet and a stringplncking element, said plucking element being adapt ed to be actuated by energization or" the associated magnet, secondary branch electric circuits associated with the first-mentioned branches, and means for diverting the electric current from the branches which include the magnets for the rotating bowing elements to the branches which include the magnets for actuating said plucking elements.

29. The combination with a player piano having its key-actions adapted to be operated under the control of a traveling perforated music-sheet, of means for silencing some of said key-actions, a stringed instrument associated with said piano, bowing devices for the strings of said instrument, each of said bowing devices including an electromagnet and a rotatable element depressible into engagement with a string of said instrument through energizing of said magnet, an electric circuit having branches, each branch having one of said magnets located the therein, said branch circuits being closable by actuation of certain of said silenced keyactions for energizing the magnets therein, picker-devices for the strings of said instrument, each of said picker-devices including an electro-magnet and a string-plucking element, said plucking element being adapted to be actuated by energization of the associated magnet, secondary branch electric circuits associated with the first-mentioned branches, and a switch whereby the energizing current is diverted from the mag nets tor actuating the rotating bowing ele ments to the magnets for actuating the plucking elements.

80. The combination with a player piano having its key-actions adapted to be operated under the control of a traveling perfora-ted music-sheet, of means for silencing some of said key-actions, a stringed instrument associated with said piano, bowing devices for the strings of said instrument, each 0r said bowing devices including an el ctro-inagnet and a rotatable element depressible into engagement with a string of said instrument through energizing of said magnet, an electric circuit having branches, each branch having one of said magnets located therein, said branch circuits being closable by actuation of certain of said silenced key-actions for energizing the magnets therein, picker-devices for the strings of said instrument, each of said picker-deincluding an electro-magnet and a string-plucking element, said plucking element being adapted to be actuated by energization of the associated magnet, secondary branch electric circuits associated with the first-mentioned branches, a switch normally disposed to conduct energizing current to magnets whereby the rotating bowing elements are depressed, and means for shifting said switch to divert said current to the magnets whereby the plucking elements are actuated.

In testimony whereof, I ailix my signature in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

REESE B. KENT.

Witnesses:

S. R. ROBERTS, H. E. DUNLAP. 

